The gas extracted from shale deposits is not a ‘bridge’ to a renewable energy future – it’s a gangplank to more warming and away from clean energy investments. — Anthony Ingraffea
If we are serious about avoiding dangerous climate change, the only safe place for shale gas remains in the ground. — Kevin Anderson
With unequivocal scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels is the principal cause of [climate change], the EAC’s conclusions are a beacon of light in a sea of expedient half truths. — Kevin Anderson
Fracking is often touted as a bridge fuel, it is not. It release methane, making it as polluting as burning coal. it pollutes ground water, triggers earthquakes.
Despite the ConDem government falling over backwards to promote shale gas, by paying for drilling, generous tax regime, relaxing planning controls, only eleven wells are planned.
An example of how rotten and corrupt the CondDem government, where their paymasters call the shots, is the leaked letter George Osborne has sent to cabinet colleges calling for racking to be fast tracked.
- £5 million of taxpayer funding to providing independent advice to the public
- make available public land including MoD land for fracking
- build on existing network of neutral academic experts available to provide credible evidence-based views
- Secretary of State can at his discretion” take the power to overrule local planning decisions
- responding favourably to requests from fracking industry
- ministers make dozens of interventions to fast-track fracking a personal priority
- intervene in local planning applications
Osborne expects to see rapid progress on his list of demands.
An example of so-called neutral academic experts is petroleum engineer Prof Quentin Fisher at the University of Leeds:
It is disappointing to see a government committee putting the ill-informed views of anti-fracking groups ahead of evidence-based scientific studies.
Unless evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume Quentin Fisher is an ill-informed mouthpiece for Dirty oil, as his ignorant ill-informed comment would demonstrate.
I do not think Anthony Ingraffea, a lifetime in the oil industry, a pioneer of many the techniques, and one of the strongest critics of fracking, is ill-informed.
Commenting on the Osborne letter, Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth:
This letter shows government and industry working hand-in-glove to make sure fracking happens. Such collusion with a highly unpopular industry will just make fracking an even more politically toxic issue. The government should follow other countries and call a halt so we can assess the risks to the environment, people’s health and our climate.
FoE should stop pussyfooting around. We do not need a halt we need an outright ban.
What the leaked letter shows, apart from George Osborne acting for his paymasters, is that we must get dirty money out of politics, where politicians like Osborne are whoring for Big Business and Dirty Oil.
Protesters have seen off fracking in Balcombe, and it now seems Lancashire.
Protesters have seen off fracking in Romania, Poland, New York.
The House of Commons Environment Audit Committee has today called for a halt to fracking.
Today sees Members of the House of Commons vote on The Infrastructure Bill, which will give a green light to fracking, and make a mockery of any democratic accountability.
Please sign the petition URGENT, calling on MPs to vote against.
Also please sign the petition calling for a global ban on fracking.
And please sign the Stop Fracking petition from Tessa Munt.
Fracking is not a bridge fuel, any more than deepwater, Arctic, tar sands. We know we have to keep 80% of known carbon reserves in the ground. The fossil fuels we can burn, are a bridge fuel. If we explore for more, we have built expensive infrastructure with a lifetime of decades. There will be pressure to recoup that investment. Already Dirty Oil has trillions of dollars of stranded assets. That investment should go towards creating a renewable future, local energy grids.
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